1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to line systems for platforms and, in particular, to line mounting systems for platforms. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for mounting wire bundles in an aircraft.
2. Background
An aircraft has many wires that extend through different parts of the fuselage, wing, and other sections of the aircraft. These wires may be used to distribute power, exchange data, or a combination of the two.
These wires may extend through the entire length of the aircraft or through a portion of an aircraft structure. When installed in an aircraft, these wires may be in the form of bundles that provide power or data to the aircraft. When many wire bundles are present, these wire bundles are bound together by fasteners. These fasteners may be, for example, straps, cable ties, cable lacing, sleeves, or a combination thereof to form a wiring assembly.
This wiring assembly is connected to the aircraft structure using a bracket, clamp, or some other type of fastener system. For example, a sponge clamp may be used to support a bundle of wires in the aircraft. The sponge clamp is a rigid structure that may have a U-shape with a sponge material. The sponge material in the sponge clamp may press the wires in the wire bundle together when the clamp is connected to a structure in the aircraft.
Connecting these wire bundles to a sponge clamp may take more time and effort than desired. For example, operators may use tools to secure these wire bundles to the sponge clamp. Further, different numbers of wire bundles may be connected to an aircraft structure at different times during the installation of wiring in the aircraft. For example, operators may manually connect a first number of wire bundles to the sponge clamps along the entire length of the fuselage before connecting a second number of wire bundles at the same locations as the first number of wire bundles.
In this instance, more work is performed to add the second number of wire bundles. When additional wires are to be added to the bundle, or if additional wire bundles are to be added, the clamp is removed and the new wires are placed in. As part of this process, a operator may replace or modify the cable ties around a wire bundle, or the operator may secure new cable ties around the wire bundles in the wiring assembly. These operations may be more time-consuming, expensive, and/or tedious than desired.
Thus, current techniques for mounting lines, such as wire bundles, in an aircraft may increase the time needed to complete manufacturing of an aircraft more than desired. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.